Life-buoy



C.' W. SMITH.

LIFE BUOY. PPLIoATIon Hmm un 2o,` w10.

988,830. Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

aww/Moz entran srafris rarnnr ormon.

CHARLES W. SMITH, 0F LARIMORE, NORTH DAKOTA.

LIFE-BUOY To all 'whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CHARLES YV. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Larimore, in the county of Grand Forks and State of NorthDakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lilie-Buoys, ofWhich the'ollowing 1; is a specification.

This invention relates to life buoys or preservers, the object of theinvention being to provide afbuoy provided with means for holding waterand food for sustaining life While the person Wearing the same isafloat, and also provided with means for displaying a day or nightsignal, whereby the attention oit passing vessels may be attractfal.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement, of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed,reference being had lto the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 'l isa perspective view of a lite buoy or preserver embodying my invention.

- Figs. '2,3 and 4 are cross sectional views thereof. Fig. 5 is a detailview oli the snspendlng and'reloasing sling. Fig. t3 1s a 'detail View,showing a modit'icdiorm ot' suspending and releasing sling.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the buoy which comprises a hollowbody of annular lform adapted to encircle the person of the wearer inthe usual way. This body is adapted to be suspended by a chain 2 from apivoted sling hook 3 mounted upon some suitable portion of the vessel,,said hook having its free end notched, as at Ll, to receive the lowerend of a locking bolt 5, whereby tl'iehook is normally held inclosedposition to support the buoy. A rope G or other operating deviceis provided by which the bolt may be retractrail to permit the hook todrop and release the buoy, in order that the latter may be castv ontinto the water for the use o t a person washed or falling overboard.'.lhe buoys may also be applied by 'persons deserting a sinking ship, aswill be readily understoml.

The hollenT body of the buoy is provided with compartments 7 and Sformed by boxes arranged therein and each stayed by suit-- able bracest). lhe compartu'icnt 7 is designed for the use of suit-able. solid'food to sustain lite and is open at the top and adapted to be closed bya 4hinged lid or cover lt) adapted to be seran-ed in closed position bya suitable clamping screw 1l.

The lid closes against a gasket 123, whereby Specification of LettersPatent.

Application file d May 20, 1910.

atented Apr. 4, 191.1

seran No, 562,490.

entrance of water to the compartment is prevented. The compartment 8 isdesigne ,L to contain fresh water and is open at the top and adapted tobe closed by a hiiiged lid or cover 13 similar t0 the cover l0, saidcover 12B-being secured in closed position by clannying crews ll; andarranged to bear in closed position against a gasket l5 to prevententrance,l of sca water to the compartment. The cover 13 is providedwith an openiiw surrounded by a threaded neck 1G closed )y a screw cover17. Through this opening a rubber tube or hose 18 arranged within thecompartment `is adapted to be partially witlulrawn in order to enablethe wearer ot the buoy to draw water therethrough from thc compartmentwithout removing the cover and permitting sea water to enter saidcompartment. The free end of this, tube passes through a guide openingin a supporting bracket 19 and is provided with a mouth piece 2()normally resting on the bracket so that it may be readily gripped todraw the tube outwardly 'for use.

Secured to diametrically opposite sides of the buoy at right angles tothe compartments 7 and 8 are brackets 21 which project outwardly tosupport illuminating devices Q2, each comprising a bottom reservoir 23it'oi'containing calcium carbid and a torch tube 2.4 extending upwardlytherefrom. lhrough the admission of water into the reservoir through thetorch tubes acetylene gas will be generated from the calcium carbid andvmay be ignited at the point it escapes trom -the tubes to produce signallights or flames at night, in order to attract the attention ol passingboats or vessels. l'n order to enable signals to be displayed during theday time, the backets 2l are provided with sockets 25 to receive thebutt portions ot' sectional [lag stalls 9.6, which will be `nippel-tedin the manner shown in Fig. t to disjilay llags at an elevationsullicicutly high to attract attention. The sections ol those stalls areadapted to be engaged when not in use with spring clips or V holders 2Sarranged upon the upper surface.

projection 5 upon a locking sprine' 5b, whereby the hook 1s normallyheld 1n c osed position to support the boW, a rope lafor other suitableoperating device being connected with the .spring for retracting it to.release the hook. 5 From the foregoing description, taken in connectionwith the drawings, the const-rucvtion and Inode of use of my improvedlife buoy will be readily understood, and it will be seen'that a buoy isprovided which Will 10 carry Without liability of in'ur fronrsea Water asuiicient supply of o0 and fresh Water to sustain life Vfor aconsidera-ble period and which also carries signaling devices for bothnight and day use. 15' Having thus described the invention, I

' claimz- A life buoy comprising a buoyant body having a compartmenttherein, a cover for said compartiment provided with an open mg,aclosure for sind opening"v a supporting w and a mouth piece carried bysaid end ofthe tube and adapted to normally rest upon said bracket. l A

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 30 in presence of twoWitnesses.

CHARLES W. SMITH.

i `Witnesses O. A. HAzEN C. JJ MCKEON.

